SLIM Brand Excellence 2012 final round of judging concluded

The premier award program of marketing, SLIM Brand Excellence is the flagship event in the country’s corporate calendar, conducted by the apex body for marketing in the country, the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM).

The final round of judging concluded on 14 October at the SLIM Home, Colombo 10, in the presence of an elite panel of judges with diverse business and marketing expertise.

The judging panel was headed by Ravi Liyanage, Group Director Operations for Richard Pieris and ably supported by Akzo Nobel Paints Lanka General Manager Marketing Graham Marshall, Lanka Market Research Bureau Chief Executive Himalee Madurasinghe, Singer (Sri Lanka) Marketing Director Nasser Majeed, Unilever Sri Lanka Marketing Director Personal Care Ramani Samarasundera, D Samson & Sons General Manager Sales and Marketing Rohan Somawanse, Response Marketing (Grant Group of Companies) CEO Alyna Haji Omar, Fonterra Brands Lanka Marketing Director Vidya Sivaraja, Etisalat Sri Lanka Deputy CEO/CFO Riyaz Rasheed, Hemas Consumer Brands Director Brands Bimal Silva, and HSBC Sri Lanka Head of Marketing and Communications Tharanga Gunasekara.

Liyanage mentioned that SLIM Brand Excellence consists of two rounds of judging. Written submissions are initially shortlisted by the panel. Shortlisted brands then present their success story to the panel at the final round of judging. A total of 62 shortlisted entries representing 48 brands from diverse industries across businesses battled for supremacy convincing 11 members of the panel.

It is noteworthy and encouraging from SLIM’s point of view that the award program is gaining momentum and equity across all industries, which can be seen by the unprecedented number of first time entrants (close upon 50 %). What’s more, most of the new entries were promising to compete sternly.

Brands were evaluated based both on a professional and academic viewpoint, comprehensive brand planning and management process; brand intent, content, process and performance during the period were under review irrespective of historic milestones and brand equity built.

Intense competition is witness from the Service Brand of the Year award category followed by Product Brand of the Year, whilst strong cases were staged in the other categories too.

Despite the fact that the evaluation was done in keeping with predetermined brand management process, judges found it very challenging to rate ‘Brand Performance,’ which consist of 50% marks, via the set criterion and its Key Performance Indicators, due to the diverse nature of industries and brand itself.

Market share acquisition during the period under review was one key criterion that took the attraction of the judges together with industry rivalry in the perspective of ‘Market Structures’. Some brands have performed impressively even in fragmented markets.

Quite naturally contestants whose achievements were authenticated independently by acceptable sources also attracted the attention of the judges. The panel was preoccupied with the need to distinguish business excellence from brand excellence unless one could articulate the connection and alignment, Liyanage added.

The line-up of awards categories includes: Product Brand of the Year, Service Brand of the Year, Innovative Brand of the Year, Turnaround Brand of the Year, Local Brand of the Year and Export Brand of the Year, B2b Brand of the Year, CSR Brand of the Year, International Brand of the Year, SME Brand of the Year, and Best New Entrant Brand of the Year.

The highest scores of the six main categories will be evaluated by the judges to award the Brand of the Year. Thus, no separate entry is required for the Brand of the Year Award. In addition, Gold, Silver and Bronze winners will be selected in each of the awards categories.

It was also articulated that awards may not be made in a category if there are no entries of a suitable standard. SLIM has taken the initiative to award the brand managers who are custodians of the winning brand with a special certificate of recognition on their significant contribution towards the brand’s success.